Atlanta Braves Morning Chop

News Item Catch-ups

FanSided

If you’ve just waked up from a week-long slumber, then Welcome Back!  Here’s what you’ve missed in Braves’ Country:

• Former Baltimore Orioles right-fielder and free agent Nick Markakis has signed a 4 year, $44 million deal that brings him back home to the Atlanta area.  This contract will run from 2015-2018, and the deal actually comes in under the figures predicted for him by most baseball experts.
• Another former Oriole and former closer Jim Johnson has also inked a free-agent pact with the Braves.  He will likely be pegged as a 7th/8th inning setup man for Craig Kimbrel.  His deal is for $1.6 million with another 900K available in incentives.
• Brandon Beachy, Gus Schlosser, and Kris Medlen were all given their releases in the form of “non-tender” decisions made on Tuesday evening.  All are now free to move about the baseball world and sign with any team.  Beachy and Medlen are still recovering from second ligament-replacement surgeries, and will not be ready to start pitching until close to mid-season at the earliest.
• Reports are that Medlen was offered the full $5.8 million expected via arbitration for this season – but also a team option for 2016 that would match that number.  I had proposed an incentive-laden deal for 2015 with a hefty raise in 2016… ultimately, either offer would have probably paid him about the same.  Medlen has opted, it seems, to “bet on himself” and will likely seek a single-year deal elsewhere.
• David O’Brien reports (via twitter) that the Braves are indeed involved in “plenty” additional discussions.
• The Rome Braves have a new alternate logo.  I like:

Orioles Concerned About Markakis’ Health?

KEN ROSENTHAL / FOXSPORTS.COM

Nick Markakis (21) at bat against the Tampa Bay Rays. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Keeping right fielder Nick Markakis was not supposed to be a problem for the Orioles. Markakis was a homegrown talent, a favorite of owner Peter Angelos. Most important, he wanted to stay in Baltimore.

…

In March 2013, Markakis, 31, was diagnosed with a small disk herniation in his neck. And even though he appeared in 160 and 155 games the past two seasons, his condition and diminished power gave the Orioles pause, according to major-league sources.

The Orioles, under Angelos, have a history of quashing agreements due to medical concerns. They never struck a deal with Markakis, but as recently as last month it appeared a foregone conclusion they would retain him.

Instead, Markakis will join the Braves, pending a physical. According to a source, the Braves have no concerns about Markakis’ neck — they viewed a report from a specialist who performed an independent evaluation of him, and expect him to be 100 percent for spring training.

More Tweets on the Landing of Markakis

One More Approval on the Markakis Signing